Dispute Adjudication Board (DAB) and Dispute Avoidance and Adjudication Board (DAAB) is an on the job-site dispute adjudication process, comprising one or three independent and impartial persons selected by the contracting parties. The Dispute Adjudication Board is usually appointed at the commencement of a project before any disputes arise and, by undertaking regular visits to the site, is actively involved throughout the project. It is also possible to agree to a DAB or DAAB any time thereafter. They are used to help parties avoid or overcome any disagreements or disputes that may arise during the implementation of the contract. They also assist in avoiding or overcoming disagreements and disputes.
Contractors who are working in local, regional and international markets will encounter the Dispute Adjudication Board (“DAB”) contained in each of the FIDIC Red, Yellow, Silver and Gold Books. Standing DABs can add value to a project in terms of real-life dispute avoidance. Factoring in the cost of a DAB at the outset should be seen as a proactive step towards dispute avoidance, rather than the alternative negative step of waiting for an issue to manifest itself into a fully blown dispute necessitating formal, costly and lengthy arbitration proceedings.